Saps investigating the non-violent deaths of four SANDF soldiers at an Orkney mine shaft
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has announced that the South African Police Service (Saps) is undertaking an investigation, in preparation for an inquest, into the deaths of four SANDF members while on duty in the Orkney district of the North West province. The soldiers were part of Operation Vala Umgodi, directed against illegal mining.
“The deceased members were found inside a container structure which was used as a guard house for those on 24 hours duty, on the morning of the 6 July 2024, when the next shift was taking over the following day, upon opening the doors of the container,” reported the SANDF in its statement. “Saps was called in and upon inspection of the scene all four had died, with their rifles on them and their personal items still with them.”
The district surgeon attended the scene. He confirmed that there were no injuries on any of the four bodies. A team from the Chemistry Unit of the Pretoria Forensic Science Laboratory also attended the scene. Preliminary indications were that the SANDF troops died from carbon monoxide poisoning, resulting from a “possible” fire that they might have kindled inside the container, due to the cold night. Their bodies have been transported to the Klerksdorp State Mortuary for more thorough investigation and post-mortem examination.
The four SANDF members were deployed at a dormant mining shaft, designated Shaft 3, located near the disused Harry Oppenheimer Stadium. This area has been a “hot spot” for illegal mining.
The names of the dead will be released, once their families have been informed and all the necessary formalities and processes have been completed. The funeral arrangements will be announced in due course. The Defence Minister, both Deputy Defence Ministers, the acting Defence Secretary, and the Chief of the SANDF have all sent their condolences to the families and to the colleagues of the deceased.
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